seaside

Hi everyone, Well I have been starting my day here every morning for a little while now and I so appreciate all the people that post here. I have not quit drinking yet for anymore than a couple days at a time. My question is this…When I first was in rehab many years ago and then had 11 years sober I had to change everything in my life. I divorced, new job, new friends etc etc. Then after my second rehab and 10 years of sobriety it was the same thing. I moved, got married, different job etc etc. Now I am so happy with my life (other than drinking that is) I don’t want a huge change. So am I telling myself that is why I can still drink??? Letting the AV tell me I don’t want a big change so just keep going? I’m rambling but I hope this makes sense to some one…

KimsFriend

I am only on day 5 of sobriety, so I may not be the best person to respond, but the first thing that came to my mind when I read your post was:
I need to stay sober to KEEP MY CURRENT LIFE. If I do not stop drinking, I will lose everything. Eventually. Not tomorrow, probably not next month. But eventually. I have in the past, and had to start over. All due to drinking.

So maybe try thinking of it that way? You love your current situation - so do what you can to keep it that way, which might mean you have to stop drinking.

GracieLou

When I quit drinking I did not have to make many changes other than to stop drinking. There was nothing left to change. The friends, family, relationship were all gone.

I guess my point is that although you may not want to change anything now, you may want to re-think it. There may be changes you are willing to do rather than have nothing left to hold on to.

reflection

I'm with Kimsfriend on this one - I quit to make my current life better and to keep it. Sure, in the last 5 months I've gone through changes, but positive ones that enhance the current situation. Some things I do have changed, some friends I see less, but overall I appreciate and have welcomed the changes and newness of seeing the world through sober eyes. It hasn't all been a cake walk, but it's definitely been worth it. And, yeah, it was scary sometimes trying to navigate all those feeling I've been pushing down with alcohol, but that is part of the process I accepted and had I not, my life would be in a different, worse place right now.

Best of luck to you. Keep checking in here, we're here for you.

SoberLeigh

Wow, seaside, your post has really floored me. Two rehabs, two major life changes and two huge periods of sobriety (21 years total - something I would give my eye teeth to be able to say I had accomplished); I can't imagine giving something like that up. You say that you are happy with your life with the caveat "except for the drinking"; you don't have to give up your life, just give up the unhappy part.

Here for you, seaside.

doggonecarl

Maybe you only have to change the drinking part. Don't make this harder than you have to.

LDT

^^^ This!

Lance40

I'm like some of the others here. I quit drinking so that I could keep the life that I have. It may be for personal reasons you don't wish to share, but is there a reason you feel that sobriety means you have to completely start over in life?

SoberLeigh

Forgot to say, seaside, that your 21 years of sobriety is incredibly inspirational. I can only hope that I have the strength and resolve to achieve something so wonderful.

seaside

HI Lance40, I suppose yes and no....My life now is making it so very easy for me to drink if that makes sense. I own a small business and support myself and my 2 employees. Needless to say when you work for yourself you are working all the time. So my day starts here, then 8-9 hours of work...Then I take a break and that is when I drink. Lunch and a 1/2pint or a bit more....Nap for a couple hours...Then my husband comes home and I'm back to work for another few hours. Also my parents live next door to us and my father is now in the last stages of Alzheimer's. I very glad I am close to help out but I never know what the next catastrophe is going to be or when. I am not complaining...I love my husband, my home and my job but I so crave that afternoon break. I know I need to do something else during that time but to be honest I don't want it to be something constructive. That probably sounds stupid.....need to think it through

Holli

Seaside, it doesn't sound stupid to me, but I do hope you chose to stop drinking because it doesn't make anything better in the end -- which you obviously know. :-). Welcome to the SR board.